Hospital parking rules to change?
Health chiefs look at four-hour limit
HEALTH chiefs are finalising the way free parking is to be managed and monitored at Carmarthen’s Glangwili hospital, with a maximum parking period of four hours for patients and visitors, which can then be extended by informing the hospital.
HEALTH chiefs are finalising the way free parking is to be managed and monitored at Llanelli’s Prince Philip and Carmarthen’s Glangwili hospitals.
Parking charges were scrapped from September 1 last year with no clear management plan in place.
Five months on, and it has been decided that ANPR (automated number plate recognition) is to be used at both hospitals.
There will be a maximum parking period of four hours for patients and visitors.
However, they will be able to extend their stay to all day by informing the hospitals. The aim is to only allow visitors and patient parking at the public car parks at the hospitals.
In the months that have followed the free parking, there have been reports of people misusing the carparks at Glangwili to park for nothing and head into the town centre for work or shopping.
Gareth Skye, transport and sustainable travel manager for Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “Proposals to implement car park management controls at both Glangwili and Prince Philip hospitals, which includes the use of ANPR enforcement, were approved by the health board in December.
“We are now working with our car park management operator to finalise arrangements for this implementation.”
He added: “The proposals will include restricting access to the public car parks for patients and visitors only.
“This will include the introduction of a four hour maximum stay, with the option for patient and visitors to validate their vehicles to allow them to remain for the rest of the day.
“Arrangements for implementation are yet to be finalised and an update will be provided once we are in a position to confirm further details.”
Carmarthen mayor councillor Emlyn Schiavone had previously welcomed the scrapping of charges at the hospital.
However, he had concerns over the misuse of the free parking and hopes that the situation will be improved by management and monitoring once implemented.
Mr Schiavone added: “There has previously been a concern that the hospital car park was being abused by some individuals who were avoiding higher parking fees in town. This situation could be exacerbated by the free parking.
“I would be disappointed if that is the case bearing in mind the urgent needs of staff, outpatients and visiting relatives.
“My understanding is that the health board are aware of this and are going to monitor the situation.”